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1 Walking Speed at Self-Selected Exercise Pace Is Lower but Energy Cost Higher in Older Versus Younger Women Authors: Lynnette M Jones 1 , Debra L Waters 2 , Michael Legge 3 Affiliations: 1 School of Physical Education, 2 Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, 3 Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand Running head: Energy Costs of Walking Keywords: physical activity, metabolic costs, females, aging Page 1 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Walking Speed at Self-Selected Exercise Pace Is Lower but Energy Cost Higher in

    Older Versus Younger Women

    Authors: Lynnette M Jones1, Debra L Waters

    2, Michael Legge

    3

    Affiliations: 1School of Physical Education,

    2Department of Preventive and Social

    Medicine, 3Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology. University of Otago,

    Dunedin, New Zealand

    Running head: Energy Costs of Walking

    Keywords: physical activity, metabolic costs, females, aging

    Page 1 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Abstract

    Background: Walking is usually undertaken at a speed that coincides with the lowest

    metabolic cost. Aging however, alters the speed-cost relationship, as preferred

    walking speeds decrease and energy costs increase. It is unclear to what extent this

    relationship is affected when older women undertake walking as an exercise modality.

    The aim of this study was to compare the energetic cost of walking at a self-selected

    exercise pace for a 30 minute period in older and younger women. Methods: The

    energetic cost of walking was assessed using the energy equivalent of oxygen

    consumption measured in 18 young (age 25-49 years) and 20 older (age 50-79 years)

    women who were asked to walk at their ‘normal’ exercise pace on a motorised

    treadmill for 30 minutes duration. Results: The mass-specific net cost of walking

    (Cw) was 15% higher and self-selected walking speed was 23% lower in the older

    women than in the younger group. When speed was held constant, the Cw was 0.30

    (J.kg-1

    .m-1

    ) higher in the older women. Conclusions: Preferred exercise pace incurs a

    higher metabolic cost in older women and needs be taken into consideration when

    recommending walking as an exercise modality.

    Page 2 of 23Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Introduction

    Walking is a convenient and popular form of aerobic activity and is widely

    recommended for health and fitness for individuals of all ages.1, 11, 12, 18, 23

    The

    associated energy costs of this activity are the result of the need to convert chemical

    energy to the mechanical work of walking. Measurement of oxygen consumption

    during physical activity allows an assessment of the associated metabolic costs to be

    made. The mass-specific net cost of walking (Cw), defined as the energy cost of

    moving 1 kg of body mass 1 metre,2, 22

    and speed is U-shaped, with an individual’s

    walking speed selected to coincide with the lowest metabolic cost.2, 21, 31

    This

    relationship can be altered by changes in gait patterns as a result of amputation,17

    disease,3 loading,

    2 obesity,

    6, 7 gender,

    6 and aging.

    8, 15, 16, 19-21, 29

    Self-selected walking speeds decrease with age, while the associated energy costs

    increase, resulting in an upward shift in the Cw-speed relationship during aging.8, 15, 16,

    19-21, 29 The reason for this upward shift in older adults is multifactorial. Determinants

    of walking speed and metabolic cost in older individuals that have been proposed

    include the effects of age,16, 21

    alterations in muscle efficiency,22

    step length,27

    height,16, 20

    body composition,15, 26

    and increased cardiorespiratory demands.20, 21

    Many studies undertaken to evaluate the metabolic cost of walking at self-selected or

    pre-determined walking speeds in older individuals have been undertaken for

    relatively short periods of time or over relatively short distances.15, 19-22, 25, 26

    Furthermore, no studies to date have focused on the metabolic costs of walking at a

    self-selected exercise pace. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) physical

    activity recommendations for adults suggest moderate intensity exercise be

    Page 3 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    undertaken five days per week for 30 minutes per session for adults aged 18-65

    years,14

    although in adults >65 years this recommendation can be obtained by shorter

    duration exercise repeated several times per day.24

    It is more difficult to extrapolate

    Cw over short periods of time to a continuous ‘exercise-focused’ protocol. Therefore

    the aim of this study was to compare the energetic cost of walking at a self-selected

    speed for a 30 minute period in older and younger women.

    Methods

    Forty Caucasian women were recruited by advertisement to participate in this cross-

    sectional comparative study, which was approved by the University of Otago Human

    Ethics Committee. All women were regular recreational exercisers, ie physical

    activity was normally undertaken less than four days or 150 minutes per week.

    Participants in the younger (YOU) group comprised women between 25-49 years of

    age (n=20), while women aged between 50-79 years comprised the older (OLD)

    group (n=20).

    Informed written consent was obtained and a medical and exercise screening

    questionnaire was completed prior to the first exercise testing session. Exclusion

    criteria included a history of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, orthopaedic problems,

    current hormone replacement therapy use, regular use of any medications known to

    affect metabolism (eg thyroid drugs), significant weight fluctuations within the six

    months (± 5kg) prior to participation in this study, any health problem which may

    have interfered with exercise, or an inability to walk continuously for 30 minutes.

    Participants were also excluded if they demonstrated a high level of current physical

    activity, ie exercised more than four days or 150 minutes per week.

    Page 4 of 23Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Anthropometry

    Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences were recorded prior to the treadmill

    walk. Height was determined without shoes using a free standing stadiometer, while

    weight was taken with participants wearing their walking attire, also without shoes,

    using electronic scales (Digi, D1-10, Teraoka Ltd, Tokyo, Japan). A standard

    fibreglass anthropometric tape was used to measure waist circumference, defined as

    the narrowest part between the last rib and the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS),

    and hip circumference, defined as the widest part between the ASIS and the greater

    trochanter. Body mass index (BMI - weight (kg)/height (m2)) was used to estimate

    adiposity, while waist hip ratios (WHR) were calculated to describe body fat

    distribution.

    Exercise Protocol

    All exercise sessions and maximal exercise testing took place at the School of

    Physical Education, University of Otago. The study protocol required the participants

    to complete 30 continuous minutes of treadmill walking. Participants were tested

    individually and were asked to undertake the exercise sessions at their ‘normal’

    exercise pace, ie self-paced exercise. Participants were asked to maintain their normal

    diet and activity patterns between the exercise session and the maximal exercise test.

    The maximal exercise test was undertaken 48 hours after the exercise session had

    been completed to ensure the women chose their own exercise pace during the walk.

    Prior experience or perception of higher intensity exercise on the treadmill could have

    influenced the choice of exercise pace made by each woman.

    Page 5 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Treadmill walking was undertaken in an exercise physiology laboratory, ambient

    temperature 26oC, using a Quinton motorised treadmill (Quinton Instrument

    Company, Series 90 Q65, WA, USA) set at 0% gradient. Breath sampling occurred at

    rest, for three minutes immediately prior to beginning the treadmill walk, the average

    of the final two minutes was used in the analyses. Thereafter the 30-minute exercise

    session was divided into five six-minute blocks for sampling purposes. Breath

    samples were collected for the final 80 seconds of each block. The Sensormedics

    metabolic cart samples every 20 seconds, therefore the initial 20 seconds of data were

    discarded and the remaining 60 seconds averaged for analytical purposes. Rating of

    perceived exertion (RPE), Borg scale 6-20,5 and HR values (Polar heart rate monitor,

    Polar etc) were collected at the end of each six minute block. All women were given

    the opportunity to increase or decrease treadmill speed at the end of each six-minute

    interval to ensure replication of a self-selected exercise pace. Speed was increased or

    decreased by a technician when requested and any change in speed noted. All women

    were familiarised with the exercise environment, equipment and the measurement

    scales to be used, following the rest period, and before sampling began for their

    exercise session. Throughout the exercise session, participants were verbally

    reminded to continue exercising at their normal pace.

    Energy expenditure (EE) was calculated using the energetic equivalent of 20.1 J.mL-1

    O24 from the indirect calorimetry values collected at rest and at the end of each six

    minute block. Resting EE was calculated from the mean oxygen consumption ( &VO2)

    over the two minute sampling period immediately prior to the exercise session, while

    the 60 seconds of breath analysis was averaged and used to estimate EE per minute

    during the exercise session at minutes 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30. The average EE for the

    Page 6 of 23Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    treadmill session does not include resting values, thus these data represent EE

    associated with activity only.

    To find the mass-specific net cost of walking (Cw), ie the energy cost of moving 1 kg

    of body mass 1 metre, the energetic equivalent of the average rate of oxygen

    consumption at rest and over the 30 minute treadmill walk was calculated using the

    energetic equivalent of O24 and expressed in J.sec

    -1. Only participants with a

    respiratory exchange ratio (RER) < 1.0 were used in these analyses to ensure aerobic

    metabolism was the primary metabolic pathway.28

    Two women in the YOU group

    had RER values > 1.0 and were excluded from further analyses; thus, the final

    participant number for the YOU group was eighteen. The mass-specific net metabolic

    rate was calculated by subtracting the resting EE from the average EE over the 30

    minute TM walk, and dividing by body mass (W.kg-1

    ). Mass specific net metabolic

    rate was then divided by the average treadmill speed (metres.sec-1

    ) to give the net

    metabolic cost of walking (Cw, in J.kg-1

    .m-1

    ).2, 22

    Metabolic equivalents were calculated to facilitate direct comparisons of exercise

    intensity between the self-selected walking pace of our groups and the recent ACSM

    recommendations defining moderate intensity as activities using 3.0-6.0 METs.14

    For

    the purposes of this estimation, resting metabolic rate was assumed to be 3.5 ml.kg-

    1.min

    -1.

    Maximal oxygen consumption ( &VO2max) test

    Following the completion of the walk, a maximal oxygen consumption exercise

    ( &VO2max) test was undertaken on a treadmill using individualised ramp protocols, with

    Page 7 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    predicted &VO2max and grade increments calculated from established equations.9

    Treadmill speed was determined from the average of velocities chosen during the 30

    minute walking exercise session and was held constant throughout the test. Following

    a two minute warm up, grade was increased every minute until volitional fatigue.

    Grade increments were calculated using predicted &VO2max estimated from equations

    of Cooper and Storer (2001).9

    Continuous breath analysis (Sensormedics 2900 metabolic cart, Sensormedics,

    California, USA) and heart rate (HR) were undertaken throughout the exercise test

    and values were recorded at 20 second intervals.

    Statistical Analysis

    Group mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM) was used to describe the data.

    Shapiro-Wilk testing of all variables was undertaken to ensure normal distribution of

    data; all data were found to be normally distributed. Independent t-tests were

    performed to determine differences in physiological parameters between the YOU and

    OLD groups. To control for self-selected treadmill speed, analysis of covariance

    (ANCOVA) was used to examine the influence of group (YOU or OLD) on the net

    energetic cost of walking (J.kg-1

    .m-1

    ). A stepwise multiple regression analysis was

    undertaken using combined group data (n=38) to determine the predictor(s) of

    treadmill speed selection (m.sec-1

    ). Independent variables entered into the model

    were age, height, weight, and &VO2max (expressed as ml.kg-1

    .min-1

    ). Pearson product-

    moment correlation coefficient testing was undertaken to investigate the relationships

    between the independent variables and walking speed. Statistical Package for the

    Page 8 of 23Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for all statistical analyses (SPSS Inc, v14.0,

    Chicago, IL). Significance was set at p

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    variable accounted for 61% of the variance in walking speed (β coefficient = 0.78;

    p=0.0005). Age was significantly (p

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    slower in the oldest group of adults (80 years), with oxygen cost per distance walked

    approximately 22% higher than those aged 25 years. Waters et al (1983)29

    reported

    that normal walking speed was approximately 10% slower in older (60-80 years)

    versus younger (20-59 years) adults, although gross oxygen cost at this speed was

    similar. However, when expressed per distance walked, oxygen costs were 8% higher

    in the older group. Similarly, when treadmill speeds are fixed, energy costs are also

    higher for older individuals. Walking at speeds over a range of 0.7-1.8 m/s, average

    metabolic costs of walking have been reported as 31%22

    and 20%25

    higher in older

    adults when compared with younger adults. In the present study, self-selected

    walking speed at exercise pace was approximately 23% lower in our OLD group than

    in the YOU group, while the average net Cw was 15% higher. Our results are similar

    to those found by Haveman-Nies et al. (1996)15

    and Malatesta et al. (2003)19

    for

    ‘normal’ walking pace, while our finding of a similar gross rate of oxygen

    consumption between the two groups, despite significantly slower walking speeds

    selected by the older women, concur with those of Waters et al. (1983).29

    Furthermore, the rate of energy consumption-speed relationship in our women falls

    within the range of normative data for adults aged 20-80 years produced by Waters et

    al. (1988).29

    The discrepancies amongst studies investigating speed and metabolic

    costs of walking are likely to be attributable to methodological differences.

    Participant age groups vary, which may distort speed-related results as the most rapid

    decline in walking speed occurs at age 62 years.16

    Gender may also have an effect,

    as gait speed and stride length and frequency have been shown to differ between

    males and females.29

    The modality used to assess gait speed may also explain part of

    the differences. Some studies used subjective instruction to assess walking over a

    range of speeds on level ground or treadmill,15, 26

    while others used fixed speeds while

    Page 11 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    participants walk on a treadmill.19, 21

    Furthermore, oxygen consumption values that

    have not been corrected for resting oxygen consumption may underestimate the

    metabolic costs attributable to locomotion.

    We also demonstrated that when walking speed is held constant, the cost of walking

    was increased by was 0.30 J.kg-1

    .m-1

    in the older women. This would equate to the

    expenditure of an additional 111.3 kJ in one hour of walking at the same pace as the

    YOU group. While this level of energy expenditure appears small, in older individuals

    who may be under-nourished, the increased energy requirements for exercise may

    further deplete existing limited energy reserves.

    Older individuals are being encouraged to undertake regular physical activity;

    however, the impact of increased daily exercise energy expenditure on activities of

    daily living (ADL) has not been fully appreciated. In a free-living situation, Harris et

    al.,(2007)13

    using a telemetry-based system, calculated that older individuals walk

    approximately 6.5 miles (10.4 km) per day, three miles (5 km) per day less than

    younger individuals and, in agreement with the results of the present study, energy

    expenditure per mile walked at the same speed was higher in the older group.13

    In

    addition to a reduction in total distance walked at a higher energy cost, Harris et al.

    (2007) observed a decline in daily nonexercise movement, standing time and

    movement accelerations in the older individuals, although total energy expenditure

    did not differ between the young and old individuals.13

    Thus, it could be proposed that

    some compensatory behaviours are undertaken by older individuals to limit energy

    expenditure of ADL throughout the day. Careful attention to nutritional intake and

    recovery strategies should be incorporated when programming exercise for older

    Page 12 of 23Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    individuals. Failure to do so may result in an even greater reduction in movement

    associated with ADL.

    Cardiorespiratory demands are increased in older adults walking at their preferred

    speed, evidenced by the higher relative fractions of &VO2max and ventilatory threshold

    used compared with younger individuals.20

    In the present study, while differences

    were not significant, the older women were walking at a slightly higher percentage of

    their maximum aerobic capacity than the younger group, 47% vs 44%, respectively.

    This compares well with a study by Malatesta et al. (2004)20

    who found preferred

    walking speed in a group of 65-year old adults to be undertaken at 43% &VO2max,

    however; the women in our study were asked to walk at their ‘normal exercise pace’

    and thus the working fraction might have been expected to be somewhat higher.

    Despite this, the self-selected exercise pace in both groups satisfied the recent ACSM

    physical activity definition of ‘moderate intensity’ (3.0-6.0 METs), which is

    recommended for cardiovascular maintenance in healthy adults aged 18-65 years.14

    A consistent finding in previous studies is that walking speed declines with age.8, 10, 15,

    16, 19-21, 29 Reasons proposed for this have been attributed to age-related changes in

    physiological function and biomechanical efficiency.10, 15, 16, 20-22, 26, 27

    We found

    associations between self-selected exercise pace and age, height, and maximal &VO2;

    which concur with those previously reported.16, 20, 27

    In agreement with studies by

    others,10, 20

    we found maximal oxygen consumption, expressed relative to

    bodyweight, to be the primary determinant of walking speed when our groups were

    combined, accounting for 61% of the variance. Malatesta et al. (2004)20

    reported 48%

    of the variance in walking speed in adults aged 65-80 years to be explained by the

    Page 13 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    fraction of &VO2 corresponding to the ventilatory threshold at preferred walking speed.

    Given the numerous studies which have reported a decrease in walking speed with

    advancing age, it is somewhat surprising that, as with our study, Malatesta et al.

    (2004)20

    and Cunningham et al. (1982)10

    also did not find age to be an independent

    factor in determining preferred walking speed. In both studies, and with ours, the lack

    of an independent age effect on walking speed may be explained by the strength of

    association with the use of more stringent statistical procedures. Simple correlational

    analyses in all studies reveal significant negative associations between age and

    aerobic fitness and walking speed; however, age effects are lost in multiple regression

    analysis.10, 20

    It is also notable that the self-selected speed of walking for exercise in

    our two groups of women coincided with the normal, or preferred, walking speed of

    individuals in similar age categories reported elsewhere. 10, 16, 19, 26, 27, 29

    In summary, this study demonstrated that the relative energetic costs of walking at a

    self-selected exercise pace over 30 minutes are significantly higher in older women

    when compared with younger women. Furthermore, preferred walking speed is

    determined by the individual’s maximal aerobic fitness level. Some effort should be

    made to assess initial fitness levels in older women and the higher relative energy

    costs of walking kept in mind to ensure an exercise plan is developed that will be safe

    and effective for that individual.

    Page 14 of 23Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Acknowledgments

    Funding was provided by a University of Otago Research Grant. We would like to

    thank Vicky Phillips and Kate Parrott who collected the data for this study.

    Page 15 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Page 19 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Table 1. Demographic and baseline physiological data for younger (YOU) and older

    (OLD) groups (mean ± SEM)

    YOU

    (n=18)

    OLD

    (n=20)

    Significance

    (p value)

    Age (years)

    40 ± 1

    59 ± 2

    0.001

    Height (cm)

    165 ± 0.02

    161 ± 0.01

    0.1

    Weight (kg)

    74.0 ± 2.9

    70.0 ± 2.3

    0.3

    BMI (kg.m2)

    27.1 ± 1.1

    26.8 ± 0.9

    0.8

    &VO2max (L.min-1

    )

    2.42 ± 0.07

    1.82 ± 0.09

    0.001

    &VO2max (ml.kg-1

    .min-1

    )

    33.37 ± 1.25

    26.55 ± 1.39

    0.001

    HRmax (bpm)

    179 ± 2

    163 ± 2

    0.001

    BMI = body mass index; HR = heart rate; bpm = beats per minute

    Page 20 of 23Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.

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    Table 2. Physiological data from the treadmill walking (TM) exercise session for the

    younger (YOU) and older (OLD) groups (mean ± SEM)

    YOU

    (n=18)

    OLD

    (n=20)

    Mean TM speed (m.sec-1

    )

    1.47 ± 0.05

    1.14 ± 0.07**

    Net Cw (J.kg-1

    .m-1

    )

    2.39 ± 0.07

    2.74 ± 0.10*

    Mean &VO2 (ml.kg-1

    .min-1

    )

    14.0 ± 0.8

    12.2 ± 0.7

    Mean HR (bpm)

    110 ± 3

    104 ± 3

    METs

    4.0 ± 0.2

    3.5 ± 0.2

    Mean RPE

    11.4 ± 0.2

    11.1 ± 0.2

    Cw = energetic cost of walking; HR = heart rate; METs = metabolic equivalents; RPE

    = rating of perceived exertion. *

    p

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    Table 3. Pearson correlation coefficients between predictor variables and self-

    selected walking speed (n=38)

    Independent variables

    Walking speed (r)

    Age

    -0.61**

    Height

    0.39*

    Weight

    -0.96

    &VO2max (ml.kg-1

    .min-1

    )

    0.78**

    * p

  • Energy costs of walking

    1.5

    2

    2.5

    3

    3.5

    4

    0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

    Treadmill Speed (m/sec)

    Cw (J/kg/m)

    FIGURE 1. Cost of walking in relation to self-selected treadmill speed for YOU

    (r2=0.10, p=0.16; slope coefficient ± standard error, 0.528 ± 0.359; solid line, open

    triangles) and OLD (r2=0.01, p=0.59; 0.190 ± 0.350; dashed line, solid squares). The

    slopes of the lines did not differ significantly (p=0.53).

    Page 23 of 23 Journal of Physical Activity and Health © Human Kinetics, Inc.